EXCLUSIVE 'If it had gone unchecked, who knows what could have happened': Apprentice winner Michelle Dewberry diagnosed with skin cancer

Former Apprentice winner Michelle Dewberry has been diagnosed with skin cancer.

The 34-year-old businesswoman underwent a biopsy after getting a 'persistent pimple' on her face checked out by doctors, despite being wrongly diagnosed by an NHS walk-in centre a year-and-a-half earlier.

After receiving the results of her tests on Monday, the website entrepreneur confirmed to MailOnline that she was suffering from Basal Cell Carcinoma, the same condition Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman was diagnosed with late last year.

'I thought it was a pimple': Former Apprentice winner Michelle Dewberry has been diagnosed with skin cancer

Warning: The 34-year-old businesswoman underwent a biopsy after getting a 'persistent pimple' on her face checked out by doctors

Michelle is now urging her fans to get checked if in doubt about their health, as she warned the condition can be extremely 'destructive' if it goes without being treated.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: 'I wanted to share this because it was a spot on my face, not a mole. It's a common misconception that it's moles that cause this.

'I had the pimple for a year and a half before it was wrongly diagnosed at an NHS walk-in centre. If you have something, go and get it checked out.

Inspiring: After receiving the results of her tests on Monday, the website entrepreneur confirmed to her Twitter followers that she was suffering from skin cancer, and urged her fans to get checked out if in doubt

'I always said I was too busy but
thankfully for me, it's very easy to get it sorted. If it had gone unchecked, then who knows what might have happened. It's better to be
safe than sorry. The condition is localised but destructive if goes
unchecked.'

Michelle has always been safe in the sun, wearing factor 30 sun lotion on a daily basis, and not even going abroad until she was 18.

She added to MailOnline: 'I didn't even go abroad until I was 18. I wear factor 30 every single day and factor 50 in the sun.'

The businesswoman first announced the news via her Twitter page on Monday night, writing: 'Biopsy results received. Turns out that what I thought was a persistent pimple on my face is actually skin cancer. #AlwaysGetChecked.'

Business brain: Hull-based Michelle won the second series of The Apprentice back in 2006, beating fellow finalist Ruth Badger to bag a lucrative job with technology mogul, Lord Alan Sugar

Michelle
went on to thank her followers for their kind words, and assured them
she will be 'just fine' after undergoing an operation to remove the
cancerous growth.

Writing
on her Twitter page, she added: 'Thx for your messages guys. I'm gonna
be just fine. Op booked in to cut it out. Just wanted to share, to
encourage others to get checked too.'

Hull-based
Michelle won the second series of The Apprentice back in 2006, beating
fellow finalist Ruth Badger to bag a lucrative job with technology
mogul, Lord Alan Sugar.

Raising awareness: Michelle is now keen to raise awareness among her fans about the condition

Following
her victory on the BBC business-based reality show, Michelle was
awarded a position within Lord Sugar's AMSTRAD company, aiding the
launch of Xenon Green, a new venture which specialised in computer
equipment disposal.

After working for the multi-millionaire for 11 months, Michelle left Lord Sugar's employment to set up her own consultancy firm and assist on government initiatives supporting aspiring young entrepreneurs.

The businesswoman now presents a weekly programme on Sky Sunrise alongside presenter Eamonn Holmes, as well as running a social buying website.

Candid: Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman was diagnosed with the same condition late last year